12.28.2009

WOW! The Hell Drivers/Torpedoes/and Circus Boy show blew down the house at Alvin's on Cass Saturday night! The weather broke just long enough for us to get to the city and park right out front.

This concert was so exciting to see, Lucky for me I did get to see my friend Johnny BEE play a few times in 2009 and Machinegun interviewed him on camera this fall too which was a gas! Go see their fun videos HERE

Standing stage left and about 8 feet away from Jim McCarty was mind blowing. Jim was playing guitar on the first record I ever bought! Sock it to me with Mitch Ryder. He make playing the guitar look so easy!

Jim was so kind to us too. He signed our Hell Drivers CDs and even go a knife to make sure we didn't ruin the cover ripping the tape off. Thanks Jimmy! We loved hearing him play at last. Jim Ed was the gentleman of the evening and so generous and kind.

WizardoLivonia Video:

He really works that crowd! Does a Mighty fine job as lead vocalist. Thank you Mr. E for the invitation. Marvin on bass was fantastic but we missed getting his autograph! I hate it when that happens!

Hearing Rock n Roll Music reminded me of my friend Ron Cooke bass player for Detroit who is home recuperating from a broken foot poor guy! Hope to see you soon Ron! This show took me back to the days of Dave Gilbert too. He was such a hottie and his voice was so perfect for the Rockets. The HD gave my friend Scott Morgan a big shout out for his signature song RESPECT.

Happy New Year and here's to hoping that Kathy Asheton picks up the induction award for her brother at the Rock Hall of Fame long overdue induction of the Stooges. Now if they would JUST INDUCT the MC5!!!!

My pals Johnny BEE and Skid Marx hanging around after the show. That was such a great Christmas party to be able to see those three bands. I took my friends Robin and Trudie becasue I didn't want them to miss this lineup. Have seen Bee play with the Howling Diablos twice but to see him turn it up a notch and play with Jim McCarty was unbelievable. I'll never forget that show.

LOS ANGELES – He had the talking horse. Now all Alan Young had to do was find the right woman to play his wife on television's "Mr. Ed."

It was a task made simple, the veteran actor said Thursday, the moment he met a young actress named Connie Hines who had moved to Hollywood just two years before and had only a handful of TV appearances on her resume.

"I was one of the people in the room when we were auditioning for the part," Young, 90, told The Associated Press. "When Connie Hines walked in, we all just looked at each other before she even started speaking and said, 'This is the girl.' She just exuded something — fresh air, I guess you could call it — that we knew would make her perfect for the part."

Hines, who died a week ago at age 78, went on to make a lasting impact on a generation of Baby Boomers as Carol Post, the pretty, perky, young newlywed who never let it bother her that her husband, Wilbur, was seen by everybody else as a nut case with a horse he thought could talk only to him.

"I could talk about that horse all day long," Young said of stories about Mr. Ed, the golden palomino whose voice was provided by Allan "Rocky" Lane. "And I could talk about Connie all week long."

Forty-three years after the long-running show went off the air, Young says he is still asked two questions almost every day: "How did Mr. Ed talk, and is Connie as pretty as she looked on TV."

He keeps mum on the first question. He answers the second with one word: "Yes."

The two remained lifelong friends after the show left the air in 1966, appearing together from time to time in the play "Love Letters" for various charitable fundraisers Hines was promoting.

Active in causes for animals, Hines and her husband, Lee Savin, hosted a cable access show in the 1990s in which they helped find homes for animals and interviewed veterinarians and animal behavior experts.

After Savin died in 1995, Young said he persuaded Hines, who was devastated by the loss, to accompany him to autograph-signing shows so she could learn how much the public still loved her.

"It was, and continues to be, a warm and gratifying experience to see generations of fans coming to celebrate Mister Ed," she said in a chapter Young asked her to write for his 2007 book, "Mr. Ed and Me and More."

The child of actors, Hines grew up in Dedham, Mass., where she was chosen the most popular girl at Dedham High School. She said she fell in love with acting as a child after appearing opposite her father in the play "Clarence Day."

After a brief time acting and modeling in New York, she moved to Los Angeles in 1959 and began appearing on such television shows as "Whirlybirds," "Johnny Ringo" and "Sea Hunt."

12.23.2009

Kimmer's personal favorite of all Christmas singers is Darlene Love. she is my friend on Myspace and has emailed me and thanked me for being her fan. Such wonderful lady and she is still very in demand all year long! I spend every Christmas playing (singing) her songs at my party and all season long in my jeep! I thought I'd share my favorites with my RK friends!

One day a girl that Darlene knew from church, Delores Ferguson, asked her to sing at her wedding.What she didn't know was that the wedding was also an audition: Delores' bridal party included her friends Gloria Jones, Fanita Barrett, and Annette and Nanette Williams, who had a singing group called the Blossoms.

They were looking to replace Annette who had become pregnant.After the ceremony Darlene was introduced to the girls and was asked to audition for the group at Eddie Beale, their manager's office. Darlene was then asked to sing with the Blossoms.

Her parents at first refused to let her, but after meeting the Blossoms they relented.Darlene started singing in 1958 with the Blossoms. The Blossoms recorded as a quartet, without success for Capitol Records from 1958 and 1960, and then a a trio for Challenge and Okeh records. They also did backup singing in Los Angeles, supporting Bobby "Boris" Pickett ("Monster Mash"), James Darren ("Goodbye Cruel World), Bobby Day ("Rockin' Robin") and many others.

Love was brought to Phil Spector's attention by his partner Lester Sill when he was looking for a lead singer for "He's a Rebel." which was to be released under the Crystal's name. When Darlene was asked if she knew about this she said "So What? The man just paid me triple scale." She figured that it was a cute song, but it was probably going nowhere.
Love went on to record six Philles singles under her own name, including "Wait Til My Bobby Gets Home" (#26, 1963) ,"(Today I Met) The Boy I'm Going To Marry" (#39, 1963), " and "A Fine Fine Boy" (#53, 1963). She also appeared on Spector's Christmas Album. Love continued to sing with the Blossoms through the 60s. They were regulars on Shindig and toured with Elvis Presley in the early 70s. Love sang back-up for Dionne Warwick for ten years beginning in 1971 and later backing Aretha Franklin.

12.20.2009

Happy Holidays Retro fans everywhere! Kimmer started off this hot holiday season having a blast with my rock n roll heroes at the Ann Arbor Rock n Roll Revival 2009. This is an annual event produced by the hardest working man in the music biz, guitarist, promoter Chris "Juke Box" Taylor. I joined Box's team to help promote this fun show and together we blasted the event throughout all of cyberspace! What a huge crowd! Great way to launch into Christmas!

Hiawatha and Scott

The night before the show was as much fun for me as the concert itself! I played chauffeur to Mr. Scott Morgan and his partner in crime Hiawatha Bailey also an Ann Arbor Rock Legend. It was unusually exciting as my Jeep's gas tank was on E as we were hurrying around Ann Arbor searching for Scott's Amp! OMG I thought for sure I was going run out gas before I got those guys to the studio! But we found the Amp and got the boys to the studio on time!

Just as we arrived that fantastic doctor/jet pilot/rock guitar legend Deniz Tek arrived! Deniz really is such a STAR. Movie Star glamorous, talented, intelligent and the ultimate in generosity of spirit.

Truly one of the kindest men I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Deniz and I are collaborating on web projects and we launched the Deniz Tek blog just this past weekend. What a ton of fans have hit that blog! His fan base covers the globe except for maybe the arctic circle!

At the studio the all star band came together to rehearse for the A2 show. Deniz Tek (Radio Birdman), Scott Morgan (The Rationals), Hiawatha Bailey (Cult Heroes), Chris Taylor (Mazinga), Rob King (Destroy All Monsters) and the powerful drummer Al King (Mazinga).

Scott Morgan and the IrRationals did my favorite songs and had that audience singing and dancing along. Not just the women either! Guys were dancing in the aisles too. That music never grows old. Hiawatha was so great and I was especially anxious to see Hi sing once more.

We saw him at the chance back in the day and I think he is even better now. Just fascinating to view and hear. He really whipped that crowd into a roar. My dear friend Rob King the fabulous drummer from Destroy all Monsters came and played with the all stars. Rob makes drumming look so smooth and easy. That is his gift and after all these years Rob still practices and trains with drum instructors. He lives for his music.

Rob and Niagara met for the first time and many years and had a nice time catching up with their latest adventures. Here is a great video of them together in Make Mine Japanese.

We had a very special guest arrive from France Eric Pouille from The Holy Curse came in to visit with his very good friend Deniz and sing a bit with the all stars. He was great! Really nice guy and I picked him from the airport and ran him to the studio (no easy feat) but at least Deniz bought the Jeep some GAS! YES lol Our master of ceremony was the Fantastic Stanley T. Madhatter!

He stepped in and really livened up the crowd! Also on hand to help was the very talented photographer Len Beste. Thank you so much guys for saving the Kimmer in distress! Gorevette rocked the Pig and we loved finally meeting the girls and of course our pal Al King pulling triple drumming duty that night drums for Gorevette.

Nikki CorvetteAmy GoreLianna CastilloAl King

Mazinga opened the show and I was thrilled to finally get the chance to hear these guys. They played a terrific cover of Lookin at You by the MC5 My favorite song of the Motor City 5. Al King drummed for Mazinga, then Gorevette and finished with the All Stars. He was calm as could be and I was just amazed at his cool demeanor all night. We were happy to meet Niagara Detroit at the show. We did have a friend email us the day before to let us know she would be attending, but we weren't quite sure that it would actually happen. Deniz had called and invited her out to the gig and she kindly obliged. We have been a huge fan of Niagara's art for quite sometime and just loved meeting her in person.

At the show my buddy Trudie Duart came out to help run the merch tables with me. Trudie had the best time and her energy made this night just that much more special for me. Little Trudie was standing up on the chair cheering, hawking the tee shirts, and watching over my equipment all night! What a trooper Miss T! Thank you darling so much!

We had a terrific time and especially loved meeting my new fan from Australia and his beautiful girlfriend from Canada! I wish I could find the paper I wrote their names on!! So when you read this please send me your info and email ok? Thank you so much everybody and Happy Holidays! On the 26th we will be Hanging with Johnny Bee at Alvin's in Detroit!

12.12.2009

With the Met’s Costume Institute gala nearing, its theme—the role of fashion models as muses—has become party talk even on the West Coast. Last night, at a memorial celebration for legendary lensman William Claxton, who died a day shy of his 81st birthday last October, it was abundantly clear that no subject offered more grist for the photographer than wife Peggy Moffitt.

While working with Peggy on planning this event for the past few weeks, I discovered that Peggy’s own muse had become a life of 48 years with her husband, lived to the max.

Before hundreds of friends that ran from James Galanos and Vidal Sassoon (above, with Moffitt) to Liz Goldwyn and Sandy Schreier to Greg Gorman and Matthew Rolston, the Claxtons’ collaborations were on vibrant display last night inside the Bing Theater at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Following a comedic series of tales from Bernie Taupin, a self-avowed fanatic of Bill’s work, Burt Bacharach’s tender “Alfie” turned up the waterworks. Peggy art-directed every ebb and high of the evening, from pal Benedikt Taschen’s opening words to the rousing New Orleans band that capped the night and had us all dancing up a storm in the museum courtyard. No one better than Bill knew the seamless synergy between muse and artist, and how one breathes life into the other until it’s impossible to tell them apart.

12.11.2009

Discover the heartbeat of music in this 560-page coffee table book illuminating the eclectic world of drumming over the past 70 years. Fotos By Folletts photographers traveled to 53 cities in four countries and photographed over 500 drummers to be included in the pages of this captivating hardcover book.

Dedicated to the late drumming photographer Lissa Wales, Sticks 'n' Skins opens with a special tribute to her work. Well known to the drumming community, Lissa was a trail blazer in her field, specializing in capturing the heart and soul of drummers around the world.

Sticks 'n' Skins not only provides visual inspiration with its stunning photos but also preserves the legacy of the diverse and unique drumming community. Sure to become a music lover's collector's item, this extraordinary book offers an opportunity for fans young and old to see a new side of the biggest names in music history.

12.04.2009

After a few line up changes because unfortunately Machinegun had to drop out due to family concerns, the Legendary Rock Emcee Stanley T. Madhatter is stepping in as the host! So bring your cow bell! We can't wait to hang out at a show with the Hatter! Kimmer had a blast this past September with the Hatter at the ? and The Mysterians show at Flintstock at the Flint Institute of Art.

Scott Morgan, Deniz Tek, Chris "Jukebox" Taylor, and Al King all of Powertrane will make a really exciting lineup for this all star jam. This will mark my first time where I get to hear Scott on guitar. We saw him this summer at the Magic Bag and then again this past Fall at the Pig. Scott is really the true gentleman of Rock. He is so kind and never speaks an unkind word about anyone and in this business that is rare. Scott is also a veritable rock n roll encyclopedia and especially about music from Detroit/Ann Arbor.

This is so is going to be so fantastic! I finally get to meet in person the amazing Dr. Deniz Tek! This guy is off the chart high energy.. Deniz Tek is a singer, guitarist and songwriter and the founder of Radio Birdman. Deniz Tek is a trained ex-Navy flight surgeon and aviator. He currently splits his time working in ER departments in hospitals in NSW, Australia & Montana

The hardest working man in show biz is Chris Box Taylor! Box has so many shows and bands to coordinate and does it with ease. Chris is the producer of this event and I am kicking a little promo assist in support. Box has all the hard work to do and he is handling well all the last minutes stresses and changes that come along with the territory of rock promotion.

Box is doing a fantastic job and I love him and his charming wife Theresa and I especially love their big black fluffy persian cat! Being a rock producer/promoter is a thankless job but producers march on in the name of rock n roll!

Ann Arbor, MI-based Mazinga draws its inspiration from garage punk and comic books, playing in a self-dubbed style of "maximum cosmic punk." Formed in Nov. 1995, the group (who take their name from a Japanese cartoon robot) have played regionally and completed a small west coast tour.

They’ve released a series of 7"s, and a self titled full length through small indie labels Reanimator and Spasthmatic, as well as two self released EPs. Sounding like punk pioneers MC5 and Radio Birdman, Mazinga features fast tempos, dissonant guitar work, and out of control live shows. In 2001, original drummer Don Blum left the band to join the Detroit-based Von Bondies and was replaced by Mike O'Reilly the following year.

Kimmer's good friend, drummer Rob King will be a special guest on drums on the A2RnR. Rob was drummer for Destroy All Monsters. Rob comes from Rock N Roll Pedigree. His father owned Kings Keyboard House the big music store in Ann Arbor for decades. Rob tells me that after all these years he still takes lessons from a great jazz drummer and practices everyday. Rob is a special guest sitting in on the 18th!

GOREVETTE! We finally get to meet the girls of Gorevette Amy Gore and Nikki Corvette. Of course our friend Al King ( nephew of Rob) is their very high energy drummer. Al will be pulling triple duty drumming for 3 acts on the 18th. Hope to see a lot of you fans at the Blind Pig! Come and introduce yourselves I'll be hanging out with Stanley T. Madhatter at the merch tables!

11.29.2009

My favorite Doris Day comedy. Of course we loved Rock Hudson too. He was such a gorgeous hunk o man. This formulaic Day film was such fun to watch silly as it's plot was.

Doris Day plays an interior decorator who finds she's sharing a telephone party line with a womanising songwriter (Hudson) - she finds him unbearable at the end of the phone, but there are definite sparks for the better when they meet for real. He goes about romancing her in the guise of a nice Southern boy and almost succeeds ...

In support are the funny Thelma Ritter and Tony Randall, perfect foils for the glamorous leads. The film zips along with a large amount of charm, certainly helped by the colour and the snappy title song. There are numerous classic scenes to add to the fun but I won't spoil yours until you've seen it. If you've never seen this, lucky you, you've got a treat to look forward to.

Diana Rigg was a big hero in my childhood. She and of course Honey West were our very first women action figures! The carried gun and beat up the bad guys! Especially Emma Peel OMG she was a toughie that girl. She often defended John Steed from bad guy assaults. Emma was my first image of being an independent while still being beautiful. The boys at school loved her but so did the girls! We had a character we could portray.

Diana Rigg was a troublesome girl, born in England but raised in India, where her father worked as a railroad executive. At the age of eight, she was sent back to England for a more proper upbringing, but classes, she has said, were boring, and she was often caught daydreaming. One particularly bright teacher suggested that Rigg channel her daydreams onto the stage, and performing in a school production of Goldilocks, she knew she wanted to be an actor.

Rigg has made a career out of playing troublesome characters. She went straight from high school to the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she made her professional debut at the age of 19. The pay, however, was meager, and she supplemented her income with work as a shopclerk, a switchboard operator, and a fashion model.

At 21, she signed a five-year contract with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and when that deal expired she auditioned to spy with Patrick Mac Nee in The Avengers.
She stayed with the series for only two years, but her second season was aired in America as well as Britain, making Rigg a worldwide star. And she was simply smashing as the smart, sexy, widowed Mrs. Emma Peel, an expert in kung-fu, tai-chi, and other forms of hand-to-hand combat.

In one understandably beloved episode, "A Touch of Brimstone", Rigg was disguised as "The Queen of Sin", to infiltrate the Hellfire Club, a clandestine group determined to topple governments through practical jokes.
She wore an extremely tight Edwardian-style corset, high heeled leather boots, and a three-inch spiked collar. According to legend, that memorable outfit was not provided by the program's wardrobe department, but instead came from Ms Rigg's own closet.
Really great Diana Rigg slideshow HERE
Read Wiki HERE

Kimmer was named after Kim Novak that fantastic actress of the late 50's and 60's. She is best known for her association with Alfred Hitchcock and my favorite of her films is VERTIGO. She was so hauntingly beautiful in that film with Jimmy Stewart. It was so real when Jimmy's character became entranced with Kim's. Everyone in the audience did as well.

My second favorite of Kim's films was BELL BOOK AND CANDLE because it features witchcraft and Gillian's (Novak) pet Siamese cat Pyewacket. Here is a little about the film:

The play was adapted successfully into a beautiful color film starring Kim Novak, James Stewart, Jack Lemmon, Elsa Lanchester, Hermoine Gingold, Ernie Kovacs, and Janice Rule. It's light entertainment, about a normal-appearing family of witches (Novak, Lemmon, and Lanchester) and the publisher (Stewart) who lives in their building. The most expert of them is the sultry, soft-voiced Gillian, who would love to be normal. One night, with Stewart in her apartment, she puts a spell on him using her Siamese cat, Pyewacket, and he falls in love with her.

"Bell Book and Candle" was filmed on a charming set that replicates New York. The movie is loads of fun. Jack Lemmon is very funny in a supporting role as Gillian's brother, a musician in the witch and warlock-laden Zodiac Club.

He uses his powers to turn streetlights on and off and to turn on the occasional woman. Janice Rule is perfect as the snobby ex-college rival of Gillian, now dating Stewart, and Ernie Kovacs has a great turn as an eccentric who is writing the definitive book on witches. Lanchester and Gingold, of course, are always wonderful, Lanchester Gillian's daft aunt and Gingold as a sort of queen of witchcraft.

Kim Novak was born Marilyn Pauline Novak in Chicago, Illinois of Czech extraction. Her father was a railroad clerk and former teacher; her mother also was a former teacher, and Novak has a sister. While attending Farragut High Academy, she won a scholarship to the Art Institute of Chicago.

After leaving school, she began a career modeling teen fashions for a local department store. She later received a scholarship at a modeling academy and continued to model part-time. She worked as an elevator operator, a sales clerk and a dental assistant. After a job touring the country as a spokesman for a refrigerator manufacturer, "Miss Deepfreeze," Novak moved to Los Angeles, where she continued to find work as a model. Wiki Story HERE

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